“IF WE can just make people understand that the hospice is a good place to be and not a scary place, then we’ve done our job,” said Diane Eeley.

Diane is the head of community development at St Luke’s.

Her first contact with the Winsford hospice was when her sister first attended as a day patient.

“My sister, Janet Williamson, started to use the service about seven or eight years ago. She came to day care and for complementary therapy and hypnotherapy,” she said.

Janet was diagnosed with bowel cancer when she was just 36 years old.

“As her illness progressed and the cancer spread she started to stay in and came in for quite long spells ,” said Diane.

“Her final spell was six months, from September/October through to February 2007 when she died here at the age of 44.”

Diane said the hospice was nothing like she had originally imagined.

“I was absolutely terrified when my mum rang and said Janet was going in to day care but we had another few years which she would not have got through if she hadn’t been here and looked after so well,” she said.

Janet’s illness often meant she was in terrible pain.

“Her illness was such that she knew if her pain wasn’t managed almost immediately and she didn’t get the drugs quick enough she would be writhing about in agony for about 72 hours. Here, at the hospice, they responded very quickly and managed her pain.”

Diane said she soon learned the hospice was not a place to be feared.

“We spent so much time here with Janet and with the staff,” she said. “Everything was explained to us in terms we could understand. It took away the fear because we knew what was going to happen right to the very end so if we can just make people understand the hospice is a good place to be and not a scary place then that’s great.”

Diane was working in sales when her sister first became ill.

“When Janet started spending long spells here I left my job to spend more time with her,” she said. “Me, my other sister Kirsteen and my mum, Dot, wanted to spend all our time with her.”

As Janet’s illness progressed Diane said her attitude to life changed.

“I had hated my job but did it because I didn’t want to be at home all day,” she said. “My sister was dying and didn’t have a choice but it made me realise I did have a choice.

“I’d spoken to her about volunteering here and she said I should because she thought I’d be good at it.”

Diane said when Janet died she felt as though she, as a person, didn’t belong at St Luke’s anymore.

“I’d spent so much time here and then I didn’t have a family member here,” she said.

Then she began volunteering and it wasn’t long before she got a job as head of community development.

“Now I love what I’m doing and it’s worthwhile,” she said. “Although I have sad memories, this is a happy place.”

The hospice recently hosted a full wedding reception so the bride’s father, who was too ill to attend otherwise, could be there on his daughter’s big day.

There was a surprise golden wedding anniversary celebration for one couple.

“This is a lovely place and everyone goes out of their way to make it very special for the patients and their families,” said Diane.